How Online Slots Incorporate Interesting Features Without Complicating the Gameplay

Slot machines have earned a reputation for being simple to play but the move to online slots has diversified the industry enormously.

This has caused game developers to look for ways to make their slots stand out with eye-catching features without complicating the gameplay.

A Base Game with Bonus Features

One thing all slots have in common is a simple base game. This is where you press the spin button and win a prize if a set of matching symbols appears on the reels.

The outcome is determined by a random number generator, and any wins are paid automatically, so it’s just a matter of hitting the spin button and collecting wins until a special feature is triggered.

The way bonus features are added to this basic game can be seen in a slot like Big Bass Splash at Betfair Casino.

Created by Pragmatic Play, it has a collector bonus where the angler symbol collects cash values from the fish on the screen.

This fits the theme neatly and it’s easy to follow, with the collecting of cash symbols carried out automatically and the prizes added in the same way.

Free Spins Rounds

A high percentage of online slots have a free spin round as their main bonus feature, with this being the sole bonus in many cases.

This game is typically triggered when a certain number of bonus symbols land on the screen.

These spins are often carried out in the same way as base game spins, with the player pressing the spin button until they’re all used.

Other slots make the free spins round total automatic so that it’s just a question of watching the action before getting returned to the base game.

Many developers take the opportunity to add extra features to the free spins, such as multipliers that increase with each win or wild symbols that remain on the reels until the bonus round is over.

However, they always retain the simplicity that we associate with slots.

Punk Rocker 2 by Nolimit City is based on the movement described here by Britannica and adds jumping wilds and burning jumping wilds to the free spins round, with wild multipliers that remain in place until the bonus is over.

The Use of Mini-Games

The use of mini-games is another step that has helped make slots more diverse and attractive.

These bonuses can triggered in different ways, such as when certain symbols land or when a number of consecutive wins are claimed.

The details of how they work are always explained in the game’s payable, although it’s not strictly necessary to read them as the game will award bonuses and prizes automatically when triggered.

Pirots 3 by ELK Studios has a coin game and train heist features among its bonuses, adding a lot of variety to the gameplay.

While the paytable runs to several pages to explain how the slot works, the gameplay is instinctive and there’s no chance of missing any of the features even if you don’t know how they work.

This look by Red Hat at random number generators shows how they give an unpredictable result every time, so these features are only ever triggered randomly.

These features help to show how slots have advanced without becoming more difficult or time-consuming to play.

We can expect to see new games released with innovative features without them becoming complicated or losing their existing appeal.